Wrapping machine



Jan. 19, 193?. c, McALEER I 2,068,144

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 14, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 6770/ /66 Nazi/km I ATTQRNEYS 5m. 19, 1937. c MCALEER 2,068,34Q

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 14, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I w I 50 1414 M14 5 50 INVENTOR J. 19, 1937. c McALEER I 2,@68,E

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 14, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Mar/66 Patented Jan. 19, 1937 WRAPPING MACHINE Charles F. McAleer, Kalamazoo, Mich, assignor to Sutherland Paper Company, Kalamazoo,

Mich.

Application January 14, 1935, Serial No. 1,745

13 Claims.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a wrapping machine which is well adapted for packaging dishes and the like. Second, to provide an improved method of and 5 means for wrapping or packaging dishes and the like especially in transparent material.

Third, to provide an improved package which is attractive and sanitary.

Objects relating to details and economies of my 10 invention will appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined and pointed out in the claims.

Preferred embodiments of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in 15 which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a dish wrapping machine embodying features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the machine, a por- 20 tion of the top being broken away to show the folders or wrapping members and their slides and ways.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on a line corresponding to line 33 of Fig. 2, the

25 wrapper being shown in position to be folded by the inward movement of the folders.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the folders advanced to fold the wrapper.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in sec- 3 tion of the resulting completed package.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a modification, a portion of the top being broken away to show the folders.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken 7 35 on a line corresponding to line 1-1 of Fig. 6 and showing a folder in the act of folding the wrapper inwardly over the dishes.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the resulting package in inverted position and showing how the bot- 40 tom flaps of the wrapper are sealed together. Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, I in general is a dish wrapping machine comprising a frame 2 mounted on corner posts or legs 3. Disposed centrally of the frame 2 is a holder 4 conformed to 45 receive a plurality of dishes in inverted nested relation and a wrapper 6 therefor. A spring actuated ejector 1 is provided at the center of the holder for coaction with the hand of the operator in holding the dishes in assembled relation while 50 being wrapped and for discharging the resulting package from the holder. The actuating compression spring 8 for the ejector is disposed in a socket 9 provided in the holder, the movement of the ejector being limited by the guide It]. 65 On the frame 2 I mount a plate-like bed or way member H provided with radial ways for a plurality of spring retracted slides l2 radially disposed about the central holder 4 and carrying arcuate folders l3 adapted to fold the wrapper 6 over the dishes 5 when the folders are advanced. 6 The holder 4 acts to hold the wrapper in the path of the folders for the folding operation, as shown by Fig. 3. The movement of the slides is limited by the coaction of the pins .14 thereon with the ends of the slots M in the top or table l5 of the 10 machine. The top l5 has a central opening l6 therein conforming to the recess H8 in the holder 4 for receiving the inverted stack of dishes. Thus, when a sheet of wrapping paper is laid on the ejector I and top I5, the subsequent disposition of the stack of dishes in inverted position on the wrapper and the manual depression of the latter through the opening l6 and into the holder 4 results in the folding of the sheet upwardly around the periphery of the dishes, as shown by Fig. 3. The sheet of wrapping paper is centered on the top I5 by means of the adjustable positioning fingers l9 mounted thereon and held in adjusted position by the screws 20.

For advancing the folders l2 in unison to fold the upstanding edge of the wrapper over the inverted stack of dishes within the form or holder, I provide a pedal 2| pivoted to the lower frame 22 of the machine at 23, the pedal being connected to the slides by means of a link 24, slide rod 25, cross arms 26 and fiexible'oables 21. The slide rod 25 is adapted to reciprocate in the bracket 28, the parts being urged to elevated position by the tension spring 29 which is connected at its upper end to the frame 22 and at its lower end to the pedal 2|. In this position of the pedal, the folders are retracted by their retracting springs 30 which are connected at their inner ends to the slides l2 and at their outer ends to the comer brackets 3|. In operation, with the parts in the position shown by Fig. l, the wrapper 6 inthe flat is first placed on the ejector I and top l5 within-the fingers I9 as described above. The dishes 5 in nested relation are then placed on the wrapper ,45

in inverted position over the opening I6 and manually pushed therethrough into the holder 4. The parts are held in this position manually after the placing of an inner sealing disk 32 on the bottom of the uppermost dish. The pedal 2| is then operated to cause the folders to advance inwardly and fold the upstanding edge of the wrapper in pleat-like folds over the dishes, the inner folds 33 of the wrapper overlapping the inner sealing disk 32 as shown by Fig. 4. An outer sealing disk 34 is next placed on the inner folds 33 of the wrapper and connected thereto and to the inner sealing disk 32 by means of a suitable adhesive. Thus, the inner folds or pleats 33 of the wrapper are interlocked between the inner and outer sealing disks as shown by Fig. 5. a

In this way, a very attractive and sanitary package 36 is formed, the wrapper consisting of some transparent material such as Cellophane through which the dishes may be inspected. The outer sealing disk is preferably printed with descriptive matter, and this being on the bottom of the package does not mar the attractive appearance of the same. Inasmuch as the top of the wrapper is conformed to the shape of the dishes in the machine, similarly wrapped packages may be stacked together without liability of breaking the wrappers.

Referring to Figs. 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings, 4| is a dish wrapping machine adapted to package dishes 42 of substantially square shape having beveled corners 43. In this case, the folders 44 of the'machine are provided with corner tucking tongues or projections 46 for initially folding the corners 41 of the wrapper 48 over the dishes 42. The continued advancement of the folders initiates the folding of the wrapper flaps 49 over the dishes, the flaps 49 being subsequently smoothed down by hand and pasted on the inner sealing member or label 50. The overlapping edges 5| of the flaps 49 are also secured together or sealed by means of a suitable solvent or adhesive as illustrated or by the application of a seal or label. This results in a very attractive package 52.

If desired, a label 53 may be placed between] the wrapper and the dishes during the packaging thereof, the label being provided with descriptive and advertising matter.

With the parts thus arranged, the top of the machine is substantially clear so that the wrapping sheet may be laid thereon, the'article to be wrapped superimposed upon the wrapper and the article with the wrapper pushed down into the holder. This results in draping the wrapper around the edges of the article to be wrapped.

The folders slide in a plane above the top of the article to be wrapped when within the holder so that when the folders are actuated, they carry the wrapper inwardly uniformly and usually result in pleat-like folds such as illustrated in Fig. 4.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 6,7 and 8, the tucker blades engage the wrapper before the winged or side portions of the folders engage it. so that the folds are substantially predetermined as is illustrated in Fig. 8. .It will be observed that one opposed pair of folders are arranged in a plane below the other opposed pair so that they do not engage when they are actuated to folding position.

From the above description of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I provide an ingenious method of and means for packaging or wrapping dishes and the like. The machine is especially well adapted for handling pressed paper dishes and "cellophane wrappers. The package resulting from my method is neat, compact, sanitary and attractive. The machine greatly facilitates the operation of my method and conforms the wrapper to the shape of the dishes. As pointed out above, this prevents breakage of the wrappers when the packages are stacked.

I have illustrated and described my improveskilled in the art to embody or adapt my improvements as may be desired.

Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications and uses thereof are possible. My invention is therefore not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new. and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A dish wrapping machine comprising a central holder conformed to receive a plurality of dishes in inverted nested relation, and a wrapper therefor, a spring actuated ejector at the center of said holder, a plurality of spring retracted slides radially disposed about said holder and having arcuate folders adapted to fold the Wrapper over the dishes when they are advanced, said holder acting to hold the wrapper in the paths of said slides, and pedal actuated means for advancing said slides and including a central vertical slide rod and cables connecting said slides to said rod.

2. A dish wrapping machine comprising a central holder conformed to receive a plurality of dishes in inverted nested relation and a wrapper therefor, a spring actuated ejector at the center of said holder, a plurality of spring retracted slides radially disposed about said holder and having arcuate folders adapted to fold the wrapper over the dishes when they are advanced, said holder acting to hold the wrapper in the paths of said slides, and pedal actuated means for advancing said slides. I

3. A dish wrapping machine comprising a holder conformed to receive a plurality of dishes in inverted nested relation and a wrapper therefor, a spring actuated ejector, a plurality of spring retracted folder slides disposed about said holder and adapted to fold the wrapper over the dishes when they are advanced, said holder acting to hold the wrapper in the paths of said slides, and means for advancing said slides.

4. A wrapping machine comprising a, central holder conformed to receive a plurality of dishes in inverted nested relation and a wrapper therefor, the bottom of said holder being conformed to fit the inside of the bottom dish and support the same substantially throughout, a package ejector at the center of said holder, a plurality of arcuate folders radially disposed about said holder and adapted to fold the wrapper over the dishes. said holder acting to hold the wrapper in the paths of said folders, and means for operating said folders.

5. A wrapping machine comprising a holder conformed to receive the article, to be wrapped and a wrapper therefor, a spring actuated package ejector slidable in said holder, a plurality of folders disposed about said holder and adapted to fold the wrapper over the article, said holder acting tohold the wrapper in the paths of said folders, and means for operating said folders.

6. A wrapping machine comprising a central holder, a spring actuated ejector at the center of said holder, a plurality of spring retracted folders radially disposed about said holder, and pedal actuated means for advancing said folders and including a central vertical slide rod and cables connecting said folders to said rod.

'7. A wrapping machine comprising a stationary holder conformed to receive a plurality of dishes in inverted nested relation with a wrapper draped around the same, the bottom of said holder being shaped to fit the inside of the bottom dish and support the same substantially throughout, a spring actuated ejector slidable in said holder, a plurality of spring retracted folders disposed about said holder, and pedal actuated means for advancing said folders.

8. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a holder recessed to receive a plurality of dishes in inverted nested relation with a wrapper draped around the same, the bottom of said holder bein conformed to fit the inside of the bottom dish and support the same substantially throughout, said holder having a central recess adapted to receivean ejector disk, an actuating spring for said ejector disk, a bed, a plurality of folders reciprocatingly mounted on said bed, a top above said bed provided with an opening above said holder, said top being adapted as a support for a wrapper so that-the unit to be wrapped may be superimposed thereon and pushed through the opening to drape the wrapper around the edges of dishes, and means for simultaneously actuating said folders to fold the wrapper over the top of the dishes.

9. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a holder recessed to receive a p urality of dishes in inverted nested relation with a wrapper draped around the same, the bottom of said holder being conformed to flt the inside of the bottom dish and support the same substantially throughout, a bed, a plurality of folders reciprocatingly mounted on said bed, a top above said bed provided with an opening above said holder, said top being adapted as a support for a wrapper so that the unit to be wrapped may be superimposed thereon and pushed through the opening to drape the wrapper around the edges of dishes, and means for simultaneously actuating said folders to fold the wrapper over the top of the dishes.

10. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a holder recessed to receive an article to be wrapped with a wrapper draped around the same,

a bed, a plurality of folders reciprocatingly mounted on said bed, a top above said bed provided with an opening above said holder, said top being adapted as a support for a wrapper so that the article to be wrapped may be superimposed thereon and pushed through the opening to drape the wrapper around the edges of the article, manually actuated means for simultaneously actuating said folders to fold the wrapper over the article, means for retracting said folders when said manual actuating means is released, and resilient ejecting means mounted centrally of said holder.

11. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a holder recessed to receive an article to be wrapped with a wrapper draped around the same, a bed, a. plurality of folders reciprocatingly mounted on said bed, a top above said bed provided with an opening above said holder, said top being adapted as a support for a wrapper so that the article to be wrapped may be superimposed thereon and pushed through the opening to drape the wrapper around the edges of the article, ejecting means resiliently mounted on said holder, and means for simultaneously actuating said folders to fold the wrapper over the article.

vl2. In a wrapping machine, the combination of an article holder, a top disposed above said holder and having a central opening through which the articles to be wrapped may be pushed with the wrapper thereon to drape the wrapper around the side edges of the article, and a plurality of reciprocatingly mounted folders disposed below said top and reciprocating in a plane above the article to be wrapped when arranged in said holder, said folders comprising central tucking tongues disposed to engage the wrapper prior to the engagement thereof by the side portions of the folders.

13. In a wrapping machine, the combination of a holder recessed to receive a plurality of dishes in inverted nested relation with a wrapper draped around the same, the bottom of said holder being conformed to fit the inside of the bottom dish and support the same substantially throughout, and a plurality of slidable folders disposed about said holder and adapted to fold the wrapper around the dishes, said folders comprising side portions and central tucking tongues disposed to engage the wrapper prior to the engagement thereof by the side portions.

' CHARLES F. McALEER. 

